Discoveries from Philippines World Cinema

A lonely kid makes a special bond with his long-time friend. As his 8th birthday comes, he wakes up to an unforgettable scene.

Schoolwork brings Aira to in-depth research on the many reasons for climate change and onsite in a quarry. Standing up for a cause, she also finds new passion and education.

Let's enter MARING's life. Cheerful, lively and loves to hang out. Whenever money comes from her children she really takes advantage of things, food and places that will make her happy. On March 16, 20,000, Malacañang announced the implementation of enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) throughout Luzon. Her world stopped.

The story is set in the not so distant future of humanity where the Earth’s atmosphere is not safe to breath anymore and the only person to ever live on the planet is a Sagaynon. He fights for survival everyday on the post-apocalyptic landscape of the city hunting for resources and hoping for humanity to thrive again.

Paul is looking for a cure for the terminal illness of his wife-to-be, Faith. They tried almost everything except for their last option, the practice of “Palapak” in Vito Church.

Kinabuhi is a story about Filipino Coconut Farmers struggling to survive a Way-of-Life exploited by industrial agriculture and crippled by disasters like Typhoon Haiyan. Over 60% of Coconut farmers in the Philippines live in extreme poverty, despite the ubiquitous resource which is the country's top commodity.

In a silent world with an empty stomach; Ton-ton is walking around the streets of Imus in search of food, along the way he’ll meet different people.

A statue remains unmoved as they forcefully paint different colors on it.

Ador’s life has been shaped by poverty and desperation. He was also in love with a girl, who he believes hopeless for them to be together considering the status in life that separates them apart. He was consumed by the idea that how could someone so beautiful & blessed find comfort in his poor & scorned person. A friend convinced him to indulge in illegal drug business that he took the plunge certain it could help change the situation. Risking his life to what he foresees could make all his dreams come to reality.

Eighteen-year-old Ivy Desma lives with her Aunt Lorena — a food vendor and has no choice but to run a small business in their own home. Their condition is poor, but it is not a problem for them to eat three meals a day.

After watching a woman cry on television, an emotionless man finds a naked guy that looks exactly like him in his room. The doppelganger guides the man in his peregrination of confronting his identity and emotions.

Trunks are the parts of trees that we relate to on a face-to-face basis. In Little India, human trunks have sprouted out of concrete.

A man finds his fate in the path of a certain church when a pastor convinced him to join their gathering.

Two lovers sitting on a now deteriorating edifice, which by day looks like a pockmark in the middle of a park bustling with construction work. But it’s night-time and the lovers are quiet and too exhausted to look back, or ahead. The dust of the day hasn’t settled yet but the present already feels as elusive as memory.

A woman tries to write a song. She looks for the right words and melody in places and through people. Through a hand-drawn map from a woman thrice her age, she finds people who have found what she is looking for. They tell her about how they found them. She listens, then she sings. We hear not a song, but a cry for a sing-along.

Jet, an 11 year-old Grade 5 transferee, cuts class because he believes that a Dark Lord named Marcoth is out to get him and his two good friends – King Eleazar and Olorin the Wizard – in Marcoth’s bid to conquer vanquish him and conquer Dol Gurskul.

After waking up in an empty city, two street kids have all the freedom to do whatever they want.

An experiment using old Super-8 home movies transferred to 16mm using an optical printer.

A transgender senior who longs to join a beauty contest makes an unlikely connection with an aspiring beauty queen, and the two go on an escapade in search of their dreams.

Babu Jalhana (Aunt Jalhana) is leading a gathering of Tausug Christ’s believers in the outskirts of Sulu. She is being discipled by Angel and Joy, two missionaries from the cities. Amidst the challenge of the ongoing pandemic, persecution of their faith and her physical disability, she perseveres strongly in her devotion together with other believing women in the village.

Jasper, a senior cheerleader of Saint Noel University Pep squad, is down to his last performance to represent his future alma mater. With days before the competition, an unexpected incident arises that will test the team’s will as athletes.

A satanic virus has been placed within the walls of Purgatory. Those who register 10,000 errors and above are vulnerable to the disease. Playing on the mysteries of the afterlife, 10,000 Errors crosses the borders of life and death, of heaven and hell, and of being powerful and being powerless.

A usual day for Blazo’s family until their unica hija, Ysabelle, unconsciously questioned her father’s work of living.

Gubat, a tikbalang, transforms into a teenage boy and searches for the truth. In the mountain, he meets Darren, an American botanist who is looking for rafflesias. His interactions with the American unravel his inner desires that he has never faced before.

An aspiring filmmaker screens his high-concept-social-realistic film about the war on drugs to a local philosopher. The philosopher questions his intent on doing the film.

El Barro de la Revolución takes place in the Philippine rainforest and reveals the inner life, without the usual mandate of the camera, of the military, social, political, emotional and educational actions of one of the guerrilla units that Polo visits with his complicity. It is a shared and solidary project, which shapes a story in which the daily duties and urgencies acquire an extreme political and poetic relevance. In short, and from our perspective as spectators, we are once again questioned about the indissoluble condition of the intimate and personal in the political sphere.

The struggle of a young girl and her grandmother trying to live a life in a world stripped of its freedom of expression and happiness.

A heartwarming story of love between a mother and daughter, reflecting the Filipino's psyche of humor and wit. Mom cooks puto to add income to raise funds for daughter's tuition fee.

A short film about the identity that hides behind the mask. Who is behind the mask?

This is a story of a widowed mother who has breast cancer and her struggles with her son who is mentally challenged.

Jomar visits his hometown in Bayawan City to retrace the memories he had when he was a child. Upon arriving, he meets Jj, a local from the area. Persistent in being a tour guide, Jomar who was hesitant at first, eventually gave in to Jj. They try the city’s local delicacies like “baye-baye” (a dessert made of grated coconut and ground corn or young rice) and “batchoy” (a noodle soup made with sliced pork, innards, cracklings, and round noodles) while exchanging family stories. A pleasant encounter indeed

Gapos is a narrative story of a girl enduring the depths of pain brought by someone dear to her. Such pain that wounded her entire being and even shattered her soul.

A solar-powered toy who wants to go to the light finds himself in a dangerous path.

The film is a video essay about the filmmaker’s experience meeting a stranger he matched with on Tinder. It explores the idea of how we find love in this modern time.

Celso, a struggling fisherman and an equally struggling marine haven are both torn by a thin line of reality and fantasy - a mystery deeper than the deepest ocean. Celso finds himself in a predicament and goes through a sequence of events that lead to uncovering the truth.

A man is torn between two lovers: a gay man who has been supporting him for years, and a woman he feels real passion for. Things unravel quickly as jealousy comes into play.

A young boy narrates some scenes from his uncle’s rural wedding.

The night before Francis’ wedding is the moment when Leah, his fiancé, discovers his real identity. Francis being a gay man is so painful for his Dad and much more for Leah. Francis courageously admits his fault that leads to a heartbreaking breakup.

An experimental film that follows the protagonist through when she woke up, and was forced to wear different colors by the people around her that represents the society. These colors represent different genders. She became confused and bewildered to what she really is.

The son of a famous painter explores the world of his father’s paintings searching for traces of his late mother’s ghost. “Portrait of a Lady” is a tribute to the artistic contributions made by 19th century Filipino artist and social activist, Juan Luna, and a romantic horror based on the urban legends that surround the cursed painting: Portrait of a Lady.

A man hooks up with a woman some years ago. When they meet again, he hopes that it can grow more than just being a one-night stand.

A lone survivor of a post-apocalyptic wasteland, traverses the left-overs of civilization to find radio parts, in a mission to find contact with other survivors.

Joy Love is a mentally-ill patient with anthropophobia, the fear of people. She is only friends with Chickie, a talking eagle stuffed toy. Although Chickie talks to her, she never talks back to him. And then one day, as Joy Love’s birthday approaches, Chickie plans to surprise her along with his friends leading to the revelation of their secrets.

The film was inspired by the story of the life of Palaris who is a hero of Binalatongan. The writer relates the battle of Palaris against the Spaniards to the struggles facing by the Filipino people.

Ondo is an ingenious man with a perilous job and Mayang is a grungy woman with a mysterious facade. Together, they encounter the hardships of parenthood as their son was rushed to the hospital. In a world where drugs and iniquitous vices are rampant, Ondo and Mayang, the strung-out young couple, try to make a living by going with the movement of the subtle cradle and hymn of life. But, where would the begrudging notes take them?

Amid the doleful news of OFWs’ situations in the Middle East, Heart, a 12-year old student, clings hopefully on to her mother’s promise to return home before her special day.

Amidst the tranquility of life, a young man finds himself in the same dilemma again-- facing a masked intruder who seems to get himself back from beneath, to kill and prevail. It is now for him to find out what's with all the escaping and chasing.

A simple, free-spirited farmer, barrio folk, Inut, yearned for an adventure, an escape. Drawn into "a world" driven by his desires, his frustrations, his fantasies.

A family is disturbed by an unknown being lurking around their house. As the father investigates, he discovers that a pest has broken into their home.

“Binakol sa Dahon” is the tale of Ester, a mother falsely accused of a crime she did not commit. Judged and unfairly tagged by her family and an overly superstitious rural community, she becomes the unwitting target of abuse, cruelty, and violence, but her spirit is kept alive by her resolve to survive the ordeal. Through it all, she discovers the meaning of the word ‘family’ and summons from within a version of herself that would have been wise to keep hidden, a woman, who, despite the viciousness of the world, and her unbridled power for vengeance, chooses love and the tenderness of a mother’s heart over all.

Shot entirely using mobile phones during the global pandemic, the persona journeys to escape the enigma of the mind, space, and thoughts. However, the persona realizes that this will eventually lead to discovering that some things may never set anything free.

A kingdom in Mindanao falls into trouble when their beloved Hiyas (princess) was attacked by a witch. Only their Lakan (prince) can avenge her.

Panicupan, a barangay in Pikit, North Cotabato, is one of the "Spaces for Peace," where Moro, Lumad, and Christian settlers have joined hands in upholding their harmonious relationship amid the conflict between the government forces and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

As Covid-19 continues to spread, being quarantined at home is a new experience and a new normal, but jolly Yugin finds a way to escape boredom by playing numbers on his phone and sending messages to random people. Mike, an impetuous guy on the other hand, replied to the random message he received. What will happen if two strangers meet unexpectedly? Will they be lovers, friends, or will they stay as strangers?

The great detective, Mr. Hinapay, is on the case to solve the mystery, the mystery that will save Earth. But he isn’t the only one drawn to this mystery. Evil forces sent to stop him, but they aren’t ready to face against Mr. Hinapay’s flawless abilities. One by one, they drop like flies. But then the big bad appears and shakes Mr. Hinapay’s vibe off of his feet. The battle is intense. Mr. Hinapay is in on a close victory, only to find out….. he is still far from the mystery.

Maya, a 13 year old cyberporn model, is abducted by a hideous river monster. She manages to escape and returns home to tell her mother, Claire, about it. Claire thinks her daughter is lying and in a fit of anger pushes the poor girl down the stairs. That night Maya sneaks out while her mother is asleep and returns to the monster waiting for her at the river. Days later after Maya was buried, Claire unearths her daughter’s grave only to find no dead body inside the coffin - only flowers.

Alee learns that the truth is loudest in the silence when an unexpected encounter alters her plan of coming out to her conservative mother.

A trans woman, a poet, and an activist contemplate on the lives they’ve left behind as they embark on a journey to an Indigenous Filipino reimagination of hell.

In a country where children outnumber the working population, the aspiration to attain the demographic dividend, which, in turn, will contribute to the country’s rise from being third world, is hindered. One factor is teenage pregnancy. The short documentary film offers various perspectives from health workers, non-government organizations, right-age mothers, and the local government in the pursuit of truth behind the contributions of early pregnancy to what seems to be a never-ending cycle of poverty.

KaLAYAWan, a short documentary about a transwoman who lives her life different from her generation. Despite the cruel world, she remained steadfast amidst all the difficulties.